Storage and dispensing apparatus



Feb. 22, 1966 J. E. VAUGHT ETAL 3,236,412

STORAGE AND DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 2, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS: JAMES E. I ZUEHT,

F3 E ELDRIDEB 17.1 0551. B aw #Q w Feb. 22, 1966 J. E. VAUGHT EITAL 3,236,412

STORAGE AND DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 2, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORQ: JAMEB E. 16 1mm".

.Emzrma 17.1 0 5m.

ATTYE.

United States Patent T 3,236,412 STORAGE AND DISPENSING APPARATUS James E. Vaught and Eldridge D. Posey, Murfreesboro, Tenn., assignors to United Service Equipment Co., Inc., Palmer, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 2, 1964, Ser. No. 335,290 Claims. (Cl. 220-93) This invention relates to an apparatus for storing and dispensing stacked articles, and, more particularly, to an improved elevator mechanism for use in combination with the storage and dispensing apparatus.

Many attempts have been made in the past to provide a satisfactory storing and dispensing apparatus for the handling of trays, racks, dishes, or similar articles of uniform unit weight and which are capable of being stacked. Many of the prior art devices operate on a lazy-tong principle; however, these devices are relatively inflexible because they cannot easily be adjusted to accommodate different types of stacked articles which have varying unit weights.

Other prior art devices afford the above mentioned flexibility; however, the elevator mechanism used in these devices is extremely complicated.

It is the primary object of the instant invention to provide an apparatus for storing and dispensing stacked articles which presents the uppermost article in the stack at a predetermined vertical level.

It is another object of the instant invention to provide a storing and dispensing apparatus, which includes an elevator mechanism that can be readily and easily adjusted to accommodate different types of stacked articles having varying unit weights.

Further objects of this invention will become apparent from the following specification and drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front quarter view in perspective showing one embodiment of the instant invention, wherein the elevator mechanism portion of the instant invention is shown in dashed lines, and with a portion of the stacked articles having been omitted for clarity;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, vertical cross sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1, shown on a slightly enlarged scale, wherein the elevator mechanism platform is shown in both its uppermost position and its lowermost position (dashed lines), and with a portion of the stacked articles and the external housing of the storage and dispensing apparatus being omitted for clarity;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view taken along the line 13-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, vertical cross sectional view taken along the line 4--4 of FIG. 2.

Briefly, the invention relates to a storage and dispensing apparatus having an improved elevator mechanism. The apparatus has at least two oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending, and coverging guides. A horizontally ex tending and vertically movable support member is mounted for reciprocal movement adjacent each of the guides and a vertically movable horizontal platform is supported by the support members. The platform is adapted to hold a plurality of stacked articles having a uniform unit weight. Biasing means are secured to and extend between the support members and are calibrated to produce an upward and vertical component of force equal and opposite to the downward vertical component of force produced by the weight of the stacked articles, whereby the uppermost one of the stacked articles occupies a predetermined vertical position.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawing, a storage and dispensing apparatus is generally indicated at 10. The storage and dispensing apparatus 10 consists of an H shaped frame 11, comprising two spaced parallel angles 12 and 3,236,412 Patented Feb. 22, 1966 center cross braces 13. The frame 11 is mounted on a rectangular base 14. Attached to and depending from the base 14 are four swivel type casters 15. A housing 16 constructed of, for example, highly polished stainless steel extends upwardly from the base 14 and encloses an elevator mechanism generally indicated by the reference number 17. A top plate 18 defining an article recess 19 (see also FIG. 3) is mounted on and serves as the top surface of the housing 16. The plate 18 is similarly, preferably, constructed of a highly polished stainless steel.

The elevator mechanism 17 is adapted to carry a plurality of stacked articles, for example trays 20 whereby the uppermost tray, indicated by the reference number 20a, at all times occupies a predetermined vertical position, as shown in FIG. 1. Because the uppermost tray 20a is constantly at a given vertical position, an operator, for example a food handler, can remove the uppermost tray 20a and the next successive tray 20b immediately moves upward to the predetermined vertical position. Therefore, the food handler never has to reach downwardly through the article recess 19 of the plate 18 into the housing 16 to remove a food tray, or the like.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, the elevator mechanism 17 comprises two pairs of oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending, guides 21 and 22. In the instant embodiment, the guides 21 and 22 have a generally U shape cross section and converge toward each other. Referring to FIG. 2, the guides 21 and 22 preferably are upwardly converging, however, they may be arranged to converge downwardly as will be explained later. A plurality of horizontally spaced holes 23 are provided in the angles 12 and the lowermost ends of the guides 21 and 22 having matching holes are removably bolted through two of the holes 23 to form connections 24 and 25. The connections 24 and 25 are equidistant from the vertical center line of the elevator mechanism 17 thereby insuring the formation of equal angles of convergence measured from re spective innermost edges 26 and 27 of the guides 21 and 22 to the vertical center line. If it is desired to increase or decrease the angle of convergence defined by the guide edges 26 and 27, the bolted connections 24 and 25 are disconnected, and the lowermost ends of the guides 21 and 22 are moved, for example, inwardly so that the holes located therein index with holes 23a located in the angle 12 and then are reconnected in this new position. Therefore, the angle defined by the innermost edges 26 and 27 of the guides 21 and 22 is reduced a predetermined number of degrees. A transverse connecting plate 28 having spaced holes 29 is similarly bolted or otherwise removably connected to the uppermost ends of the guides 21 and 22, for example, at connections 30 and 31. The connections 30 and 31 can be released and the uppermost portions of guides 21 and 22 moved inwardly toward each other and reconnected, for example, in holes 29a.

Referring to FIG. 3, the guides 21 and 22 define generally U shaped recesses 32. Horizontally extending support members 33 having ball bearing rollers 34 rotatably mounted on their outermost ends extend laterally across the storage and dispensing apparatus 10. The recesses 32 serve as guide paths to direct the generally vertical travel of the support members 33. The rollers 34 have a diameter greater than the diameter of the support members 33 and ride within the U shaped recesses 32. The guides 21 and 22 prevent lateral movement of the support members 33, but at the same time allow vertical reciprocal movement of the support members 33.

Biasing means, for example, tension springs 35 urge the support members 33 toward each other in the instant embodiment, however, the instant invention is not limited to the use of tension springs as biasing means as will be described below. Flanged ball bearing rollers 36 having outwardly spaced flanges 37 are mounted inwardly of the outermost ends of the support members 33. A horizontal load carrying platform 38 having a downwardly turned flange 39 along its periphery (see FIG. 2) is slidably mounted on the rollers 36. The flanges 37 on the rollers 36 prevent excessive lateral movement of the platform 38.

In the instant embodiment, the platform 38 has a tray engaging recess 40. The bottom portion of the lowermost tray b of a stack of trays 20 is engaged in the recess 40 (see FIG. 2) to restrict sliding of the stack of trays 20.

Referring to FIG. 3, brackets 41 are fixedly mounted to the flanges 39 of the platform 38 at a point between the support members 33. The brackets 41 are located on the transverse center line of the elevator mechanism 17 and each of them mounts a pair of flanged centering rollers 42 and 43. A vertically extending center channel 44 has a centering roller recess 45 and is fixed at opposite ends to the angle 12 and the connecting plate 28. The rollers 42 and 43 ride in the center channel 44 thereby restricting the reciprocal movement of the platform 38 to a vertical direction.

Referring to FIG. 2, the rollers 42 and 43 are vertically spaced from one another. Therefore, if the platform 38 begins to tip or tilt, rotation of the platform 38 is prevented by a counter-moment produced by the spaced rollers 42 and 43 acting against the sides of the center channel 44. However, when tension springs are used as the biasing means the platform 38 does not tend to rotate because the support members 33 are urged inwardly toward each other and serve as self leveling means.

A rubber cushioned stop 46 is mounted on the upper end of the center channel 44 and limits the uppermost travel of the platform 38.

Other biasing means are within the scope of the instant invention. For example, the guides 21 and 22 can be downwardly converging (not shown) rather than upwardly converging as shown in the drawings. Compression springs analogous to automobile shock absorbers can be substituted for the tension springs 35, the compression springs being attached at their outer ends to the support members 33. However, in this embodiment the support members 33 would be located on the interior surface of the guides 21 and 22 rather than the exterior side of the guides 21 and 22 as shown in the drawing, because in this embodiment they are biased outwardly. If compression springs are used, the centering bracket 41, with its spaced rollers 42 and 43, becomes more important and the rollers 42 and 43 would be more widely spaced, because the compression springs inherently tend to rotate the platform 38, whereas the tension springs 35 are self leveling.

Referring to FIG. 2, the platform 38 is shown in its uppermost position with the single tray 20a positioned thereon. The single tray 20a occupies a predetermined vertical position and as each succeeding tray 20 is placed thereon the additional increment of unit weight produces a downward vertical component of force and the platform 38 moves in a downward direction until an equal and opposite upward vertical component of force is produced by the increased tension of the springs 35. At each instance, this equal and opposite upward vertical component of force is produced so thatwhen the elevator mechanism 17 reaches a static position the uppermost tray 20a always occupies the predetermined vertical position. As successive ones of the trays 20 are placed upon the elevator mechanism 17 the platform 38 moves downwardly until it reaches the lowermost position indicated by the dashed lines in FIGURES 2 and 4.

In a reverse manner, as the uppermost tray 20a, located at the predetermined vertical position, is removed from the stack the platform 38 moves upwardly until the upward vertical component of force produced by the tension springs 35 is equal and opposite to the downward vertical component of force produced by the weight of the remaining trays 20.

When it is desired to use the storage and dispensing apparatus 10 to store a different type of stacked article,- for example, dishes rather than trays, the platform 38 is removed and a new platform (not shown) having a dish engaging recess is placed on the ball bearing rollers 36. The biasing means, for example, the tension springs 35, are then removed and replaced with new tensioning springs or springs are added or removed, all of which are calibrated to produce the necessary upward vertical component of force to counteract the unit weight of the dishes which differs from the unit weight of the trays 20. Also, the angle of convergence of the guides 21 and 22 can be varied, as was previously explained, by adjusting two or more of the connections 24, 25, 30, and 31. This, of course, changes the amount of force which will be developed by the springs 35 at different vertical positions.

The ready adaptability of a storage and dispensing apparatus constructed according to the instant invention to stacked articles of varying unit weights insures great flexibility of operation.

While the present invention has been disclosed in connection with a specific arrangement and disposition of the parts, it should be expressly understood that numerous modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In a storage and dispensing apparatus an elevator mechanism comprising, in combination, at least two 0ppositely disposed, vertically extending and converging guides, horizontally extending platform support means movable along said vertically extending guides, a horizontal platform supported by said support means and adapted to hold a plurality of stacked articles, and biasing means secured to said support means, said biasing means being calibrated to produce an upward vertical component of force equal and opposite to the downward vertical component of force produced by the weight of such stacked articles, whereby the uppermost one of such articles occupies a predetermined vertical position.

2. In a storage and dispensing apparatus an elevator mechanism comprising, in combination, at least two oppositely disposed, vertically extending and converging guides, at least two horizontally extending platform support members movable along said vertically extending guides, a horizontal platform supported by said support members and adapted to hold a plurality of stacked articles, centering means mounted on said platform, means for vertically guiding said centering means, and biasing means secured to and extending between opposed ones of said support members.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, in which the biasing means is a plurality of tension springs.

4. In a storage and dispensing apparatus an elevator mechanism comprising, in combination, two oppositely disposed, vertically extending guide means, each of said guide means defining opposed guide paths having an angle of convergence, means adjustably mounting said guide means for varying such angle of convergence, a horizontally extending platform support member movable along said vertically extending guides, a horizontal platform supported by said support members and adapted to hold a plurality of stacked articles, centering means mounted on said platform, means for vertically guiding said centering means, and biasing means secured to and extending between said support members, said biasing means being calibrated to produce an upward vertical component of force equal and opposite to the downward vertical component of force produced by the weight of such stacked articles, whereby the uppermost one of such articles occupies a predetermined vertical position.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, in which the centering means comprises, at least one bracket mounted on an edge of said platform, said bracket being positioned on a horizontal centerline of said platform, and at least two vertically spaced rollers mounted on said bracket.

6. In a storage and dispensing apparatus an elevator mechanism comprising, in combination, a pair of oppositely disposed, vertically extending guide means, each of said opposed guide means defining a pair of converging guide paths, a pair of horizontally spaced and vertically movable horizontal platform support members extending between said opposed guide means and mounted for movement along opposed ones of said guide paths, a horizontal platform supported by said support members and adapted to hold a plurality of stacked articles, centering means mounted on opposed sides of said platform, a vertically extending centering member extending along the path of movement of said centering means for vertically guiding said centering means, and a plurality of springs secured to and extending between opposed ones of said support members, said springs being calibrated to produce an upward vertical component force equal enough to the downward vertical component of force produced by the weight of such stacked articles whereby the uppermost one of such stacked articles occupies a predetermined vertical position.

7. In a storage and dispensing apparatus an elevator mechanism comprising, in combination, a plurality of pairs of oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending and converging guides, said pairs of guides defining an angle of convergence, means adjustably mounting said pairs of guides for varying such angle of convergence, a pair of horizontally spaced and vertically movable horizontal support members adjacent opposed ones of said guides, a horizontal platform supported by said support members and adapted to hold a plurality of stacked articles, centering mean-s mounted on opposed sides of said platform, a vertically extending centering member extending along the path of movement of said centering means for vertically guiding said center means, and a plurality of springs secured to and extending between said support members, said springs being calibrated to produce an upward vertical component force equal enough to the downward vertical component of force produced by the weight of such stacked articles whereby the uppermost one of such stacked articles occupies a predetermined vertical position.

8. In a storage and dispensing apparatus an elevator mechanism comprising, in combination, a plurality of pairs of oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending and converging guides, a pair of horizontally spaced and vertically movable horizontal support members adjacent opposed ones of said guides, a horizontal platform supported by said support members and adapted to hold a plurality of stacked articles, a pair of brackets mounted on opposite edges of said platform, said brackets being positioned on a horizontal centerline of said platform, at least two vertically spaced and vertically aligned rollers having a horizontal axis of rotation mounted on each of said brackets, a vertically extending centering member extending along the path of movement of each of said brackets, said centering member having a roller engaging recess, and a plurailty of tension springs secured to and extending between said support members, said tension springs being calibrated to produce an upward vertical component force equal enough to the downward vertical component of force produced by the weight of such stacked articles whereby the uppermost one of such stacked articles occupies a predetermined vertical position.

9. In a storage and dispensing apparatus an elevator mechanism comprising, in combination, a pair of oppositely disposed, vertically extending guide means, each of said opposed guide means defining a pair of upwardly converging guide paths, a pair of horizontally spaced and vertically movable horizontal platform support members extending between said opposed guide means, each of said support members having bearing means mounted for movement along opposed ones of such guide paths, a horizontal platform supported by said support members and adapted to hold a plurality of stacked articles, a pair of brackets mounted on opposite edges of said platform, said brackets being positioned on a horizontal centerline of said platform, at least two vertically spaced and vertically aligned rollers having a horizontal axis of rotation mounted on each of said brackets, a vertically extending centering member extending along the path of movement of each of said brackets, said centering member having a roller engaging recess, and a plurality of tension springs secured to and extending between said support members.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, including stop means for limiting the uppermost travel of the horizontal platform.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,769,568 11/1956 Eurey 22093 2,980,287 4/1961 Fisher 220-93 3,080,066 3/1963 Berridge et a1. 108--136 3,082,876 3/1963 Cranmore 10849 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A STORAGE AND DISPENSING APPARATUS AN ELEVATOR MECHANISM COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, AT LEAST TWO OPPOSITELY DISPOSED, VERTICALLY EXTENDING AND CONVERGING GUIDES, HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING PLATFORM SUPPORT MEANS MOVABLE ALONG SAID VERTICALLY EXTENDING GUIDES, A HORIZONTAL PLATFORM SUPPORTED BY SAID SUPPORT MEANS AND ADAPTED TO HOLD A PLURALITY OF STACKED ARTICLES, AND BIASING MEANS SECURED TO SAID SUPPORT MEANS, SAID BIASING MEANS BEING CALIBRATED TO PRODUCE AN UPWARD VERTICAL COMPONENT OF FORCE EQUAL AND OPPOSITE TO THE DOWNWARD VERTICAL COMPONENT OF FORCE PRODUCED BY THE WEIGHT OF SUCH STACKED ARTICLES, WHEREBY THE UPPERMOST ONE OF SUCH ARTICLES OCCUPIES A PREDETERMINED VERTICAL POSITION. 